Sign construction



Feb. 23, 1960 Filed Feb. 12, 1957 W. H. YETMAN SIGN CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

MLL/AM l2- YET/VAN Feb. 23, 1960 w, YETMAN v 2,925,676

SIGN CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 12, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

" mLL/AM H YErMA/v Unite ttes atent SIGN CONSTRUCTION William H. Yetman, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application February 12, 1957, Serial No. 639,726

4 Claims. (Cl. 40-125) This invention relates to a sign construction and is more particularly concerned with a novel illuminated sign construction applicable to a billboard, or the like.

Billboards such as are commonly used for out door advertising, that is, along streets and highways or atop buildings, have become substantially standardized in size and construction. The conventional billboard of the character referred to is characterized by flat, vertically disposed panels measuring approximately 12 to 15 feet high and 25 to 60 feet long, and upon which advertising material is painted or otherwise applied. The ordinary billboard is illuminated by means of suitable flood lights, or the like, positioned forwardly of and directed onto the panel.

In certain localities throughout the country, the size of billboards is restricted by law, with the result that the amount of advertising material that can be applied thereto is materially limited.

An object of the present invention is to provide an illuminated sign construction applicable to an existing billboard, of maximum size permitted by law, and adapted to supplement the advertisement on the billboard.

A feature of the present invention is to provide a-sign construction including a plurality of box-like units having front panels with translucent letters or advertising material therein and adapted to be arranged along the top edge of a billboard to project upwardly therefrom.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel means for mounting the units of the sign construction to the billboard whereby the units can be easily and quickly applied to and removed from the billboard and whereby they can be advantageously shifted and positioned longitudinally of the billboard. 7

Another object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the panels of the units can be advantageously removed and changed as circumstances require and without the necessity of disengaging the units from the sign construction.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a sign construction of the character referred to which is both easy and economical of manufacture and which is both highly effective and dependable in operation.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of my invention, throughout which description reference is made.

to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a billboard and showing the sign construction provided by the present invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the construction illustrated in Fig. 1 and taken as indicatedby line 2-2 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of the structure illus trated in Fig. 1.

. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of a porice tion of the structure that I provide and taken as indicated by line 44 on Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of one of the units of the present invention and having parts thereof broken away to show in section, it being a view substantially as indicated by line 5-5 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 66 on Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 7-7 on Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view of one of the units of my construction.

The sign construction A provided by the present invention is applicable to a billboard B and includes, a plurality of box-like units C and a mounting means D adapted to mount the unit C on the billboard.

The billboard B illustrated in the drawings is shown as involving a box-like body fabricated of sheet metal and including, a flat, vertically disposed, rectangular back 10, a flat, vertically disposed, rectangular front panel 11, straight, horizontally disposed top and bottom walls 12 and 13, and vertically disposed side or end walls 14. In the particular case illustrated, the peripheral portion of the front panel is formed to establish a suitable border or frame 15 about the inner portion thereof and on which the advertising material is applied.

In addition to the foregoing, the billboard B is shown as being provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced, vertical standards 16, which standards serve to support the billboard in an upright position.

It is to be understood that the particular billboard construction shown throughout the drawings and which is briefly described above is only illustrative of one form of billboard construction to which my sign construction A can be related and in no way effects the novelty of the present invention.

The several units C of the sign construction A that I provide are basically alike, and each includes a forwardly opening box-like body 20, illuminating means 21 within the body and a removable advertisement panel 22 engageable with and adapted to close the open forward end of the body.

The body 20 of each unit involves a fiat, vertically disposed, substantially square back 23, flat, horizontally disposed top and bottom walls 24 and 25, and flat, vertically disposed side walls 26. A suitable frame 27 is provided about the open front of the body and establishes an inwardly opening channel 28 adapted to slidably receive the panel 22 as will hereinafter be described.

In the case illustrated, the frame 27 is established by lengths of extruded F-sections, the legs of which are releasably secured to the adjacent top, bottom and side walls of the body by suitable screw fasteners 29. The F-sections are coextensive with the adjacent top, bottom and side walls of the body and have their ends mitered so that a neat, uninterrupted frame is established thereby.

The illuminating means 21 within each unit C is shown as including a flat, vertically disposed partition 30 within the body 20 and spaced intermediate its back, and open front ends and a plurality of laterally spaced, vertically disposed fluorescent light tubes 31 carried by the partition 30 by meansof suitable socket members 34. The light tubes 31 are positioned to occur adjacent the front side of the partition and are adapted to illuminate the panel 22. The front surface of the partition 30 is preferably polished or suitably painted as to serve as a reflector.

In the case illustrated, the partition 30 is secured to the body by means of a pair of vertically disposed an- I gles 32, secured to the side walls 26 of the bodyas Patented Feb. 23, 1960 i welding, or the like. The panel is, in turn, secured to the angles 32 by suitable screw fasteners 33.

The necessary ballast and wiring for the fluorescent tubes 31 of the illuminating means 21 is secured to the back side of the partition or occurs within the space between the partition 30 and the back 23 of the body. The power line 35, that is, the line delivering current to the illuminating means is shown as extending through a suitable fitting 36 in the bottom wall 25 of the body 20 and is provided with a suitable plug 37 at its free end and adapted to be engaged in a suitable socket box 38 on the back wall 10 of the billboard.

In practice, and so that the power lines for the several units C need not be excessively long, it is preferred that plurality of laterally spaced socket boxes 38 be provided along the back 10 of the billboard B, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The removable advertising panel 22 of each unit C is shown as a substantially flat, vertically disposed member formed of a dark colored translucent plastic material and a light colored or white translucent plastic advertising symbol or character 40 engaged in a complementary opening 41 provided in the panel. The character 40 is fixed in the opening 41 in the panel by the application of a suitable cement along the lines of jointure therebetwcen.

The side edges of the panel 22 cooper-ateto establish a peripheral flange 42 about the panel, which flange is adapted to be slidably engaged in the channel 28 established by the frame 27 on the body.

In practice and as illustrated through the drawings, the central portion of the panel 22 can be forwardly off-set from the plane in which the peripheral flange 42 lies, and the symbols or characters can be so formed as to project forwardly from the panel. It is to be understood however, that the particular construction and/or configuration of the panels 22 can be varied widely as circumstances require, without affecting the novelty of the present invention.

If desired, the panels 22 can be opaque and the symbols or characters 40 engaged therein can be trans lucent or vice versa.

With the unit construction set forth above, it will be apparent that when the light tubes 31 of the illuminating means 21 are turned on, the panels 22 are suitably illuminated. It will also be apparent that the panels 22 of the units can be easily and quickly changed by removing one side of the frame 27 from the body, thereby opening the channel 28 and making it possible to slide the panel engaged therein, out and sliding another panel back in.

The mounting means D adapted to mount the unit C on the billboard B is shown as involving apair'of vertically spaced, horizontally-disposed rails on the back 10 of the billboard, a pair of laterally spaced and vertically disposed legs 51 on and depending from eachunit C, and coupling means 52 connecting the legs on the several units with the rails.

Each rail 50 of the means D is shown as being established by upper and lower lengths of angle iron 53 and 54. The lower length of angle iron has one flange 55 secured to the back 10 of the billboard B by means of suitable screw fasteners 56 and so that the other flange 57 thereof projects horizontally rearwardly from the billboard. The upper length of angle iron 53 has one flange 58 secured to the rearwardly projecting flange 57 of the'lower iron by means of suitable screw fasteners 59 and so that the other flange 60 thereof projects vertically upwardly therefrom in spaced relationship to the back of the billboard.

' The legs 51 of the means D are established by elongate, vertically disposed lengths of angle iron. The upper end portions 61 of the legs are fixed to the backs 23 of the units C by means of suitable screw fasteners 62, while the lower endportions 63 of the legs depend from the units and extend between and occur adjacent the back sides of the upwardly projecting rail flanges 60.

The coupling means 52 connecting the legs 51 of the several units C with the rails 50 is shown as including a pair of vertically spaced rollers 64 rotatably mounted on the front side of each leg 51 by means of suitable forwardly projecting bolts 65 on the legs. The rollers 64 are spaced vertically so that they engage the tops of the flanges 60 of the rails 50 and support the units C thereon.

In the preferred carrying out of the invention, a pair of vertically spaced and horizontally disposed spacer bars 66 are provided between the legs 51 on each unit C. The bars 66 are secured to and extend between the inner ends of the bolts 65 which carry the rollers 64. The upper bar extends between the bolts which carry the upper rail engaging rollers, while the lower bar extends between the bolts that carry the lower engaging rollers.

In addition to the foregoing, the means D is shown as including a suitable guiding and lock-means 70, which means serves to maintain the rollers 64 in proper bearing engagement on the flanges 60 of the rails 59 and which also serves to lock the nuts in fixed position relative to the billboard. The means 7% is shown as ineluding tongues 71 depending from the spacer bars 66,

adjacent each leg 51. The tongues 71 are spaced forwardly of the legs and occur adjacent the front sides of the rails 50. With the above relationship of parts, it will be apparent that the tongues 71 and the legs 51 occur at opposite sides of the rail flange 60 from the legs and serve to maintain the rollers 64 in proper bearing engagement on the rail flanges. The means further includes suitable lock bolts 72 threadedly carried by the legs 51 at points opposite the tongues 71. The bolts 72 are adapted to be advanced towards the tongues 71 related thereto, and to clampingly engage the rail flanges 60 therebetween.

In practice and as illustrated throughout the drawings, the legs 51 are of sufficient vertical extent with respect to the rails 50 and the billboard B so that the units .C occur above and overlie the top 12 of the billboard.

With the sign construction set forth above, .it will be apparent that the several units C can be easily and conveniently shifted and repositioned longitudinally of the billboard B and can be suitably locked and held against longitudinal shifting and displacement.

It will also be apparent that the number of units employed can be varied as circumstances require by simply engaging or disengaging the units on the rails 50 from or at the ends thereof. I

When it is desired to change the advertising material of the sign construction that I provide, the desired number of units can be applied and positioned relative to the billboard B and then the desired panels 22 can be applied or substituted in the units as circumstances require.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have invented a neat, effective illuminated sign construction that can be advantageously applied to a billboard, a sign construction which is flexible and can be easily and conveniently altered or changed, and a construction which is both easy and economical of manufacture.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not Wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims:

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An illuminated sign construction applicable to a billboard having vertically disposed front and rear walls and a horizontally disposed top including, a pair of vertically spaced horizontally disposed rails secured to the back wall of the billboard, a plurality of forwardly disposed box-like advertising units arranged adjacent the top of the billboard, illuminating means within the units,

a pair of elongate vertically disposed legs depending from each unit to occur adjacent the rails, and coupling means between the legs and the rails.

2. An illuminated sign construction applicable to a billboard having vertically disposed front and rear walls and a horizontally disposed top including, a pair of vertically spaced horizontally disposed rails secured to the back wall of the billboard, a plurality of forwardly opening box-like units with forwardly disposed translucent advertising panels engaged therein and arranged adjacent to the top of the billboard, illuminating means within the units, a pair of elongate vertically disposed legs depending from each unit to occur adjacent the rails, and coupling means between the legs and the rails.

3. An illuminated sign construction applicable to a billboard having vertically disposed front and rear walls and a horizontally disposed top including, a pair of vertically spaced horizontally disposed rails secured to the back wall of the billboard, a plurality of forwardly opening box-like units with forwardly disposed translucent advertising panels engaged therein and arranged adjacent the top of the billboard, illuminating means within the units, a pair of elongate vertically disposed legs depending from each unit to occur adjacent the rails, coupling means including rollers on the legs and engaging the rails, and lock means including a tongue on each leg and overlying the rail on the side opposite the leg and lock bolts on the legs and engaging and urging the rail into tight clamped engagement with the tongue.

4. An illuminated sign construction applicable to an 6 elongate billboard having vertically disposed front and rear walls and a horizontally disposed top including a plurality of box-like units arranged adjacent the top of the billboard to project upwardly therefrom and mounting means releasably securing the units to the billboard for longitudinal shifting relative thereto, each unit ineluding a forwardly opening box-like body, illuminating means within the body, a frame at the forward open end of the body and establishing an inwardly opening channel and a translucent advertising panel with a peripheral flange slidably engaged in the channel in the frame, said mounting means including, a pair of vertically spaced horizontally disposed rails on the back wall of the billboard, a pair of laterally spaced verticaly disposed legs depending from each unit to occur adjacent the rear side of the rails, rollers on the legs to engage the rails and forwardly and downwardly projecting tongues on the legs adjacent each roller to occur adjacent the front side of the rails and serving to maintain the rollers in proper bearing engagement on the rails.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,337,315 Harvey Apr. 20, 1920 1,365,520 McMaster Jan. 11, 1921 1,838,685 Kimball et al. Dec. 29, 1931 2,626,473 Howenstine Jan. 27, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 475,057 Germany Apr. 19, 1929 

